Falcons release Durant, Moore

The Atlanta Falcons announced Monday that they have released linebacker Justin Durant and safety William Moore.

"We want to thank both of these guys for their commitment and work ethic," head coach Dan Quinn said. "They battled through injuries to give everything they had for their teammates this season and I will always be appreciative of that."

Durant struggled in 2015 with inconsistent play and injuries and his release saves the Falcons $2.3 million in cap space in 2016, so the move is not surprising.

Moore had been with the Falcons since he was drafted by the team in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Like Durant, injuries appear to be a big reason why the Falcons decided to move on from Moore, who isn't the same player he was physically when he made the Pro Bowl back in 2012.

Both players are 30 years old, so it appears the Falcons are trying to get younger on defense in an attempt to revamp the disappointing unit.